مَشوقٌ كَساهُ البَينُ ثمّ التباعُدُ

مَشوقٌ كَساهُ البَينُ ثمّ التباعُدُ

ثِيابَ نحولٍ ماتَ فيها التّجالُدُ

ثِيابَ نحولٍ ماتَ فيها التّجالُدُ

A yearning lover—separation, then estrangement, has clothed him

Separation clad me in the garments of emaciation, then estrangement,

in robes of wasting, in which the show of fortitude has died.

The clothes of distress in which affection is no more.

وَأَسلَمَهُ بُعدُ الأَحبَّةِ لِلضّنى

وَأَسلَمَهُ بُعدُ الأَحبَّةِ لِلضّنى

يَموتُ بِهِ وَجداً وَيَحيا التّواجُدُ

يَموتُ بِهِ وَجداً وَيَحيا التّواجُدُ

And distance from his loved ones has surrendered him to wasting sickness;

And the distance of loved ones surrendered me to sorrow -

he dies of it in yearning, while yearning's outward show lives on.

I die in it, while longing lives on and presence is renewed.

وَهَل مُسعِفٌ تُطفى بِهِ جَمرَةُ النّوى

وَهَل مُسعِفٌ تُطفى بِهِ جَمرَةُ النّوى

وَهَيهات هَيهات أَينَ المُساعِدُ

وَهَيهات هَيهات أَينَ المُساعِدُ

And is there a helper through whom separation's ember can be quenched?

Is there a comforter whose warmth quells the fire of passion,

And far, far beyond reach—where is the helper?

Alas! Alas! Where is the aider?

عَلى أَنّها تطفى العقولُ تحيلُهُ

عَلى أَنّها تطفى العقولُ تحيلُهُ

بِدونِ تَلاقينا وَأَنّى أُشاهِدُ

بِدونِ تَلاقينا وَأَنّى أُشاهِدُ

Yet reason deems it impossible for it to be quenched

Though intellects quell it, my heart transforms distance into nil -

without our meeting—and how can I behold you?

Without our meeting, how can I behold you?

وَلَو أَنّ ما أَلقى مِنَ البُعدِ وَالنّوى

وَلَو أَنّ ما أَلقى مِنَ البُعدِ وَالنّوى

عَلى جَبلٍ مِنهُ الصّخورُ الجَلامِدُ

عَلى جَبلٍ مِنهُ الصّخورُ الجَلامِدُ

And if what I suffer from distance and separation

Had what I suffer from remoteness and passion

were laid upon a mountain whose rocks are massive and solid,

Been placed on a mountain of solid rock,

لَذابَ وَلَم يُبقِ النَّوى أَثَراً لَهُ

لَذابَ وَلَم يُبقِ النَّوى أَثَراً لَهُ

وَأَصبَحَ لا رَسمٌ لَهُ وَمَعاهِدُ

وَأَصبَحَ لا رَسمٌ لَهُ وَمَعاهِدُ

it would melt, and separation would leave no trace of it;

It would melt, leaving no trace or pact,

and it would be left with neither a vestige nor familiar landmarks.

And become smooth with no landmarks upon it.

أَحِبّةَ قَلبي عَن عُيوني نَأيتُمُ

أَحِبّةَ قَلبي عَن عُيوني نَأيتُمُ

وَكُلٌّ بِأَحشائي مُقيمٌ وَقاعِدُ

وَكُلٌّ بِأَحشائي مُقيمٌ وَقاعِدُ

O beloved ones of my heart, you have gone far from my eyes,

Loves of my heart, you departed from my eyes,

and each dwells and abides within my bosom.

Yet each of you dwells still and is seated in my entrails.

أَحِبّةَ قَلبي إِنَّ وَجدي بِحبّكُم

أَحِبّةَ قَلبي إِنَّ وَجدي بِحبّكُم

يَزيدُ وَيَحيا فيكُم وَهوَ خالِدُ

يَزيدُ وَيَحيا فيكُم وَهوَ خالِدُ

O beloved ones of my heart, indeed my yearning in loving you

Loves of my heart, my passion for you grows

grows and lives on in you, and it is everlasting.

And lives on in you enduring and immortal.

وَفِيَّ تَمادى الشّوقُ وَاِستَحكَمَ الضّنا

وَفِيَّ تَمادى الشّوقُ وَاِستَحكَمَ الضّنا

وَرَقَّ لأَحوالي عَدوٌّ وَحاسِدُ

وَرَقَّ لأَحوالي عَدوٌّ وَحاسِدُ

And longing has run unchecked within me, and wasting sickness has taken hold,

In me continues longing, and enmity thrives,

and foe and envier have taken pity on my plight.

A foe gloats over my state, envious and malignant.

فَإِنْ جاحِدٌ يَجحَدْ كَلامي فَقلبُكم

فَإِنْ جاحِدٌ يَجحَدْ كَلامي فَقلبُكم

عَلى صِدْقِ دَعوانا دَليلٌ وَشاهِدُ

عَلى صِدْقِ دَعوانا دَليلٌ وَشاهِدُ

So if a denier denies my words, then your heart

If an enemy denies my words, your hearts

is evidence and witness to the truth of our claim.

Are evidence and witness to the truth of our invocation.

سَقَى اللَّهُ أَوقاتاً تَقَضَّتْ بِقُربِكُم

سَقَى اللَّهُ أَوقاتاً تَقَضَّتْ بِقُربِكُم

وَإِنّي عَلَيها الدّهرَ مُثْنٍ وَحامِدُ

وَإِنّي عَلَيها الدّهرَ مُثْنٍ وَحامِدُ

May God water the times that passed in your company,

God watered moments passed in your company,

and indeed I forever extol and praise them.

And I laud Him for them through all time.

شَرِبتُ بِها خَمرَ السّمارِ لَذيذَةً

شَرِبتُ بِها خَمرَ السّمارِ لَذيذَةً

بِكَأسِ الصّفا تَلتَذّ مِنها المَوارِدُ

بِكَأسِ الصّفا تَلتَذّ مِنها المَوارِدُ

In them I drank the delicious wine of nighttime companions,

I drank therein the wine of impassioned revelry

from the cup of serenity, from which the watering places draw delight.

From cups of purity whose drafts are quaffed from fountains.

فَلا أَوحشَ الرّحمنُ مِنكُم مَجالِساً

فَلا أَوحشَ الرّحمنُ مِنكُم مَجالِساً

تَشرَّف مِنها لَو حَلَلتُم مَقاعِدُ

تَشرَّف مِنها لَو حَلَلتُم مَقاعِدُ

So may the Merciful never leave gatherings desolate without you,

So the Merciful did not make your gatherings desolate -

whose seats would be honored if you settled there.

My place would have been honored had you graced its seats.

أَضاءَت بِكُم نوراً وَطابَت رَوائِحاً

أَضاءَت بِكُم نوراً وَطابَت رَوائِحاً

وَزَيَّنها مِن دُرِّ فيكم فَرائِدُ

وَزَيَّنها مِن دُرِّ فيكم فَرائِدُ

They shone with light through you and grew sweet in fragrance,

You made it shine with light and sweet-smelling scents

and rare gems from the pearls of your mouths adorned them.

And adorned it with the pearls embedded in you.

وَرَدَّ لَنا فيها اِجتِماعاً بِأُنسكُم

وَرَدَّ لَنا فيها اِجتِماعاً بِأُنسكُم

وَساعَد فيهِ فَهوَ نِعمَ المُساعِدُ

وَساعَد فيهِ فَهوَ نِعمَ المُساعِدُ

And may He restore to us there a gathering in the joy of your company,

And He restored for us, by your company,

and help us in it, for He is an excellent helper.

A union assisted by the best of aiders.